Independance
by The Cabbage man's legacy
Summary: They were just friends, good friends who had been through a lot together. That was what she would always say whenever a person suggested it was anything more than that. After all there was no way she could fall in 'love' with that idiot.
1. Chapter 1

Being independent, able to handle and look after herself, it was something Sakura could now do with ease, though in the past it had not always been so easy. She may have given off the appearance of someone like that and may have actually believed it herself but she knew now that had not been the case. Back then she'd relied on everyone, assuming that someone else would be there to sort everything out when she made a mistake.

Always thinking that Kakashi and Sasuke would sort everything out, she'd looked up to the two and had believed that if there was a problem they would solve it. She'd never even thought of Naruto, who she'd personally thought was the main cause of all her problems. There was only one time when she truly had to defend for herself when the four of them were all still together, just one time, the time she cut her hair. And even then she hadn't been much use, barely holding them off for more than a few minutes before being rescued by another Shinobi. Another Shinobi, who like Naruto, she had mocked, thinking he was nothing but a weirdo.

_Appearances can be so desceptive,_ she thought as she walked outside of the house onto the main road, where she stood waiting for another person to join her. It was ironic that the people she had thought of the least cared for her the most.

Sasuke, the person she had idolised for his good looks and calm exterior, disappeared and she went crying to Naruto, her last hope, expecting him to pick up the pieces.

She smiled then, thinking of how very strange it was, she had always treated Naruto badly but as soon as she had needed him he had been there. Just as he had always been, he was the one constant in her life. It was easy to say she was now able to handle things on her own but even now she still relied on Naruto. He was her support and what kept her standing because she knew he was the one person who would never leave her.

It was a selfish thought, which she would not deny.

She needed him like she needed her legs and arms, without him she'd stand still unable to move, she would slowly die from the inside out. Starving herself in the absence of his light, like a plant which had lost the sun, she needed him to survive. She wondered if it was okay to depend on someone else's presence so desperately because if he left her like Sasuke had done, there would be no one left to pick up the pieces.

But Naruto wasn't Sasuke was he? She'd chosen him as her support for a reason, besides the fact that he was important to her, she knew he was loyal and would never leave her. Or at least that's what she wanted to believe, because he had become her most important person or as Haku would have said 'precious person'. Or was it both? She shook her head trying to remember.

Sighing she looked at her watch, he was already 10 minutes late, so much for their first date. She looked up, frowning when she saw the blonde appear in front of her, watching as his smile slipped into a look of unease at her frown.

"Sakura-chan, I'm sorry I'm late…" he said apologising as he looked at Sakura, seeking her forgiveness.

"Its fine Naruto" she said, feeling the familiar itch at the chan added to the end of her name. He always addressed her like this, no matter how many times she told him to drop it. Though it was only small, it felt like he pushed a barrier between them, making it even harder for them to connect.

"Okay then! Lets go!" said Naruto enthusiastically, grabbing Sakura's arm as he pulled her through the crowds, not seeing her cheeks flush because of the contact of his skin against hers. When they arrived at their destination she wasn't surprised to see it was Naruto's favourite ramen shop. She remembered the last time she'd come to this place when Naruto had first come back, he'd said he wanted to have a date with her but in the end had to ask her for money since he didn't have enough to pay for her own food. Hopefully this time would be different.

They both sat down on the stand and Naruto ordered ramen, which was really surprising considering they were at a ramen stall and all, you'd expect him to get sushi!

"So why'd you agree to coming out with me Sakura-chan?" asked Naruto, curious to know why she'd finally agreed to having lunch with him.

"I'm a bit short on cash at the moment" she admitted "So I thought it would be a good idea to take up your offer" she said, not noticing that Naruto who had gotten his hopes up had just fallen flat against the table, she Silently added '_and because I've missed you'._

The ramen arrived and the two sat mostly in silence as they ate, only the occasional loud slurp from Naruto interrupting the peace. The old man who owned the shop smiled at the two.

"So you finally got yourself a girlfriend Naruto" he said, laughing when the two turned bright red spluttering as they tried to explain themselves, he didn't give them a chance as he quickly left to get Naruto's bowl a refill. They both sat for a moment in silence as the man shuffled around in the back. They were both embarrassed but as usual Naruto was the first one to talk.

"Don't listen to that old man Sakura-chan, he said the same thing when I brought Ten-Ten here as well as that other time I took Hinata…" he said trailing off when he realised he'd done something to upset her again, judging from the scary look on her face. What he thought he saw was anger but what Sakura was really feeling was fear mixed with jealously, she wondered if the idea of having him by her side forever had always been a fantasy. After all there were other girls out there, who could say that he wouldn't choose one of them?

"Sakura-chan are you okay?" he asked worried as he looked at her suddenly pale face.

"Yeah I'll be fine, I just need some fresh air" she said quickly, pushing her way out the stand. It was ridiculous to get so worked up about him seeing other girls, but when another person was your world everything they do matters and affects you.

'_I am pathetic'_ she thought as the tears started falling, she was not in control and she could not handle anything. She'd been stupid and had not even thought that Naruto might one day find someone special and no longer feel the need to look after her.

Just then arms slipped around her shoulders, holding her close to a warm solid chest.

"Is it Sasuke?" the voice she knew was Naruto's asked quietly. She shook her head.

"Will you tell me what's wrong?" he asked. Again she shook her head. She couldn't answer that question because the problem had already been resolved, he was with her and that was enough. She turned around so that she was facing his chest and she cried because he was there and she knew he'd never leave her.

...

_I wrote another oneshot!_

Sorry is that was riddled with typos and bits that didn't make sense, I just started writing it while procrastinating for my story Torn and for some reason got really into it... Though I don't know if I'll just leave it here or start writing more...


	2. Questions

It was around lunch time and the air was filled with the glorious sound of young teenage girl's laughter as it spread through the air, almost as though it was infectious. All the young men (and old perverts) passing by couldn't help but notice it and they all felt just that bit more light hearted for it as they walked by the coffee shop and the beautiful Kunoichi who were sitting at the table outside.

This group of girls consisted of Ino, Ten Ten, Sakura and Hinata all of whom were now giggling as Ino revealed her crush for Shikamaru. It was one of those strange rituals girls went through as they would first find out said crushes name and then compare all the pros and cons of his personality weighed against his looks. Really to any outsider the girls looked like they were just having fun but what the girls were really doing was stating whether or not they approved of any future relationship, daring one another to go further without their permission.

"So" said Sakura, having finally agreed with the rest of them that Neji was OK, though it had been difficult since the guy had called one of her close friends, Naruto, a loser "Who do you like Hinata?" she asked curiously, leaning towards her on the table, completely oblivious to the sudden tense looks upon Ino and Ten Ten's faces. Sakura didn't know, they realised and it was unfortunately now too late to stop her from finding out.

"Well actually the person I like is…" Hinata grew shy; it was hard for her to even say his name without blushing.

"Come on Hinata, its not like we'll tell anybody!" said Sakura impatiently, ushering Hinata to continue.

"I like…" the rest of the sentence was followed by incoherent mumbles as Hinata's face had now turned flaming red "The person I like is Naruto Uzumaki!" she suddenly let out, clamping her hands over her mouth, instantly regretting it when she saw the petrified looks on Ino and Ten Ten's faces.

"Really? Are you sure Hinata?" Sakura surprised everyone by replying smoothly "You're a bit out of his league aren't you? I mean he's not exactly the brightest of pennies is he?" Ino and Ten Ten both gave a sigh of relief; it seemed they had been wrong about Sakura holding any affection for him besides friendship.

"Well I don't know he's not that bad looking is he Ino?" asked Ten Ten, trying to join into the conversation.

"Yeah well we all know that, he just told me the other day how you two had been hanging out together, I guess Hinata isn't the only one who fancy's a piece of Naruto" said Sakura, laughing at the sudden flustered look on Ten Ten's face.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Ino screamed outraged "I thought you'd said you liked Neji!"

"Well there's just something about his eyes…don't you agree Hinata, so piercingly blue, there was no way I could just say no when I had the chance to stare into eyes like that!" as Hinata and Ten Ten continued on about how beautiful Naruto's eyes were Sakura couldn't help but writhe in anger, unhappy to think that it was Naruto who had asked instead of the other way round, _traitor_. Was the only word she could think of to summon up her current thoughts of him; _you're supposed to be mine! _She blinked as she realised how possessive she was being and tried to worm her way back into the conversation.

"But at least you've made progress Hinata" she said sneakily, knowing her words would rile the others "going on a date with him already!" Hinata turned a deep shade of red.

"Well it wasn't a proper date!" she exclaimed "I barely talked at all, I just listened to him"

"Naruto is good at talking isn't he?" added Ino, cutting Hinata off "He has this lovely rough voice and he's completely stopped doing that annoying thing he used to do at the end of his sentences, he's really grown up"

"Umm… he's fun to talk to" Hinata chimed in.

"He has the most gorgeous shock of blond hair" said Ten Ten wistfully.

"There is however one problem" all three of them said in unison, there eyes directed at Sakura.

"What?!" she asked, irritated by their gaze.

"We just don't think its fair that a great guy like Naruto likes some who doesn't even return his feelings!" said Ino accusingly.

"Don't be stupid" she said, suddenly realising what they were getting at "that idiot doesn't even doesn't feel that way about me in the slightest, I get just the same treatment as you guys, nearly all of us have been asked out by him at least once!" she explained almost bitterly.

"Still doesn't explain why you're always hanging out with him!" argued Ten Ten.

"Come one, we hardly ever hang out together in out free time, we only see each other so much because we work well together on missions" the girls were all now stumped, unable to combat any of Sakura's reasons, which were all perfectly sound. It was exactly because those reasons were so concrete that Sakura was upset, if only she did get that special treatment her friends thought she did.

It was later, after finishing lunch with the other girls that she went home and contemplated what had happened the night before. She'd been an idiot and embarrassed herself in front of Naruto, she'd wound herself up because of those girls and the way they always talked about him whenever he came up as if the guy didn't have any flaws!

They had left out so many things that irritated her: the way he always added chan to the end of her name, the way he suddenly grinned all of a sudden when he was around her for no apparent reason, how he would never forget just how 'important' Sasuke was to her, that he'd asked Ten Ten and Hinata out instead of her. The list was just too long and she could have gone on for hours about the things she disliked him for.

While she was thinking of more reasons she heard the bell ring and got up, a little disgruntled that she'd been interrupted while she'd was making an important list.

She opened the door and smiled; another thing to add to her list, whenever she saw him she'd just smile involuntarily for absolutely no reason than his presence around her.

"What is it Naruto?" she asked grumpily, thinking he'd probably just come because they had some stupid mission.

"Well I wanted to know if you were okay?" he said, the same worry he'd had the night before still present on his face.

"Come in then!" she said suddenly beaming, strangely glad that he had been worrying about her. They both sat down on the couch and for a while they didn't speak, it was strange for both of them as they were used to talking freely to one another. For a change it was Sakura who spoke first.

"Hey Naruto, why don't we ever hang out anymore?" she asked.

"I don't think we ever did hang out, you'd always rejected me when ever I offered to" he said, smiling awkwardly.

"Well that was stupid" she said, sounding more as if she was talking to herself than Naruto "Well did you know that Hinata likes you?" she asked, startling him with yet another strange question.

"No"

"Do you like her?" she continued.

"No" he replied forcefully.

"Then do you like me?" she asked fearfully.

"Wait Sakura-chan, what are you talking about?" he asked, evading the question, another thing Sakura would need to add to the list, he wouldn't give an answer to the most important question.

"Don't ever call me that again!" she said suddenly reprimanding him.

"Call you what? Your name!" he asked, confused by her sudden outburst.

"You always call the others by their name-" she stopped and realised something, she was the only one. He only added chan to the end of _her_ name, it made her special, there was no way she could let go of it "just call my name the same as always" she corrected herself.

She leaned her head on his shoulder and was unable to stop herself from asking just one last final question.

"Why did you come here?" and his answer was simple and straight to the point.

"Because I care"

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This chapter was random wasn't it? This was originally going to be a oneshot until I realised that the theme was pretty similar to the chapter before this and yet again as I did before I'll warn you, I still have no idea as to whether I'll ever update this thing again…


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